Petroleum-Jelly-Free Soap: What's Really in Your Bar

Quick answer: Many popular soaps and body washes contain parabens (preservatives) or petroleum-based ingredients like mineral oil, petroleum jelly, and paraffin. Red Monkey Fulvic Acid Shea Butter Soap contains none of them. It's paraben-free, sulfate-free, and made without mineral oil, petroleum jelly, or paraffin. It's made with shea butter, fulvic acid, and Himalayan salt in Glenside, PA.

Why I started reading soap labels

I started Red Monkey because I got tired of personal care products built on cheap fillers and sold with celebrity faces. I train, my training partners train, and I have two kids. I wanted to know exactly what we were washing with every day. So I started reading the backs of bottles, not the fronts.

Here's what to look for, and what you won't find in our soap.

What are parabens?

Parabens are preservatives used in many lotions, shampoos, and body washes to stop bacteria and mold from growing. On a label, look for names ending in "-paraben," like methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben.

To be fair, the FDA says it hasn't found evidence that parabens in cosmetics are harmful at the levels used. Still, many people prefer to avoid them, and that's a reasonable choice. If you're one of them, Red Monkey soap is paraben-free.

What petroleum ingredients show up in soap and body wash?

Petroleum-based ingredients are common in personal care because they're cheap and they make products feel smooth. Look for:

Mineral oil (also called paraffinum liquidum)

Petrolatum (petroleum jelly)

Paraffin (paraffin wax)

These sit on top of the skin instead of absorbing into it. Lots of people prefer plant-based fats like shea butter instead. Red Monkey soap contains no mineral oil, petrolatum, or paraffin.

What's actually in Red Monkey soap?

No mystery ingredients. Here's the full list and what each one does:

Sorbitol and glycerin: Natural moisture-attracting ingredients that help keep skin from drying out.

Sodium cocoate: Coconut oil turned into soap. This does the cleaning.

Sodium stearate: Soap made from a natural fatty acid. It gives the bar its firmness.

Propylene glycol: A common skin-softening ingredient that helps the bar stay smooth.

Shea butter: Rich in natural fatty acids for soft, comfortable skin.

Fulvic acid: A naturally occurring compound rich in trace minerals, and the ingredient that sets Red Monkey apart.

Himalayan salt: A mineral-rich salt with a natural scrub feel.

Fragrance: Our five scents are Cedarwood, Bourbon Mix, Tobacco Vanilla, Raspberry Vanilla, and Sovereign.

Titanium dioxide: A mineral that gives the bar its color.

It's also sulfate-free. That means no sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate, the harsh foaming detergents found in many body washes.

Why fulvic acid?

Almost nobody puts fulvic acid in bar soap. It's a naturally occurring compound formed as plant matter breaks down over thousands of years, and it's packed with trace minerals. It's the backbone of every Red Monkey product, from our soap to our Fulvic Acid Drops.

Built on the mats, made for everyone

Our first customers were grapplers: BJJ, wrestling, and MMA athletes who shower once or twice a day and need a bar that won't dry them out. Now parents use it for their families, tradespeople use it after long days on the job, and plenty of people just want a simple soap without parabens or petroleum jelly.

How to check your own soap in 30 seconds

Flip the bottle or box over.

Look for words ending in "-paraben."

Look for mineral oil, petrolatum, paraffin, or paraffinum liquidum.

Look for sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate.

If you find them and you'd rather not use them, it's time to switch.

Frequently asked questions

Is Red Monkey soap paraben-free?

Yes. It contains no parabens of any kind.

Does Red Monkey soap contain petroleum jelly or mineral oil?

No. It's made without mineral oil, petrolatum, or paraffin.

Is Red Monkey soap sulfate-free?

Yes. There's no SLS or SLES.

What makes Red Monkey soap different?

Fulvic acid. It's a natural, mineral-rich compound you'll rarely find in bar soap, combined with shea butter and Himalayan salt.

Is it only for athletes?

No. It was built for grapplers, but it's made for anyone who wants a simple, gentle bar.

Where is Red Monkey made?

Glenside, Pennsylvania. It's sold online at redmonkey.shop.

The bottom line

Read the back of the bottle, not the front. If you'd rather skip parabens, petroleum jelly, and sulfates, Red Monkey Fulvic Acid Shea Butter Soap is made without all three, with fulvic acid as the ingredient you won't find anywhere else.

Real ingredients. Honest labels. No BS.

[Shop Fulvic Acid Shea Butter Soap →]